Total joint replacements are orthopedic implants for repairing or replacing a natural joint. Examples of common joints that are replaced by a total joint replacement include, but are not limited to, hips, ankles, and shoulders. The ultimate goal with any total joint replacement is to approximate the function and structure of the natural, healthy structures that the implant or prosthesis is replacing.
In many instances, bone adjacent to an implant suffers from bone loss, for example from osteolysis, over a prolonged period of time following a total joint replacement. In some cases, plastic or metal wear particles from operation of the prosthesis trigger an autoimmune reaction which leads to bone resorption. As bone structure is resorbed bone voids are formed which can loosen the fixation of the prosthesis within the patient, causing greater problems for the patient.